Red
by Incubabe
Summary: Rated M for future chapters. Various pairings. Lana gives Clark a gift, not realising the power it will hold over him and how many lives will be affected by the change in him.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I wrote this quite some time ago. In fact, way before Season Five began and quite possibly before I had finished watching Season Four so it may be a fair way off from the Smallville characters we know now… I just hope you can all enjoy it regardless.

Chloe snapped her cell phone shut and rejoined Clark and Lana at the table, sighing softly and shaking her head to loosen her hair. Her attempts at growing it out weren't working as well as she had hoped; she'd booked an appointment at a salon in Metropolis to have it returned to its usual short, shaggy mess. Not that she had told anyone, particularly Lex. He had wanted her to grow her hair long but it just wasn't possible, it was driving her mad. Clark offered her his condolence smile as she sat down and she gave him a tired smile back, she was too angry to do anything else and it bugged her that Clark already knew what was going on. It didn't really surprise her though; Lex's phone-calls always had the same theme.

"What's up with Lex?" asked Lana, taking a tiny bite of Clark's chocolate muffin before returning it to his plate.

"He's got another meeting before he can come home. I guess it's just us again tonight," said Chloe, Lana smiled and nodded. She didn't really know what else to say, Lex's cancellations had become more frequent recently and had coincided with Chloe's change in style. Lana found it odd that the black clothes and dark make-up suited Chloe more than her usual wardrobe and wondered if Lex had appreciated the changes in her since they had officially announced their relationship. "You know what; I don't feel up to playing gooseberry tonight. You guys go without me; I think I'll just head back up to the mansion,"

"No Chloe, stay with us. You're not playing gooseberry," insisted Clark but Chloe's mind had been made up and she was already standing.

"Thanks Clark but I'd rather just get home; I'll call you tomorrow though. Maybe you can come over or something," she smiled wearily and pulled on her floor length coat, literally sweeping out of the Talon.

She slammed the library doors shut and collapsed into the leather chair in front of the unlit fireplace. When she and Lex had first started to flirt with each other, she had been thrilled and when he finally asked her out, she was so excited she could hardly breathe. Now, now was a different matter completely. She was fully aware that it was her own fault for believing that exciting and dangerous Lex Luthor would always be there but these days, board meetings and business deals came first. It was rare that Lex would take her out for dinner anymore, they had stopped going clubbing in Metropolis and the excitement was gone. The only thrill she got from their relationship now was using Lex's credit cards and living in the mansion. She wished she could add their bedroom exploits to that list but lately, that side of their relationship had been going downhill too. It made her wonder if a fancy home and expensive clothes were enough but that was usually the moment she admitted to herself that despite her bravado, she did love Lex. As much as he had changed, she did love him. Smiling at her own romanticism, she stood from the chair and walked to the large stained glass windows, looking down on the lit gardens. High up the road at the gates, Lex swung his Porsche onto the driveway and sped up to the front door. Chloe watched him get out and slam the door shut behind him, a beaming smile creeping across her face as she heard his footsteps in the hallway and then the door handle being pushed down. She turned around to face him; he looked stunning in his navy wool suit and a familiar stirring in her groin made her smirk.

"I'm sorry about tonight, I hope Clark and Lana weren't too upset with me," he said, striding across the room and taking Chloe in his arms, brushing his lips lightly across her cheek.

"They understood, it was me who was pissed off," she said softly, leaning in and smelling the collar of his shirt, breathing in his scent. He moved back, their moment of affection too short lived for Chloe's liking.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," he smiled, kissing her briefly before moving to the drinks cabinet and pouring himself a glass of scotch.

"I'm going to take a bath," sighed Chloe, fully aware that Lex wouldn't display any more affection for her that night and would find it difficult to discuss anything other than business. "I'll leave the door unlocked if you want to come up later," She closed the library doors and wondered if Lex would take her up on the invitation, she walked up the main staircase bare-footed, enjoying the feel of the wood under her skin. She never imagined that she would be living in the Luthor family mansion, let alone living with Lex Luthor as her boyfriend. It was odd how easy it had been to adapt but she knew it was the money; at the start of their relationship she had refused all gifts and displays of his wealth had not impressed her but now, the security of being with Lex Luthor was comforting. Her wardrobe was overflowing with over-priced dresses that she had only ever worn once and matching shoes that had never touched her feet. Lately, she had started wearing more black, more leather and had added black streaks to her blonde hair. Not that Lex had noticed.

She was still intrigued by Lex despite his openness with her. She wanted to know everything about him as a teenager, as the original wild child but whenever she brought it up, he would simply tell her it was a past he'd rather forget and the conversation was over. It was hard for her, she was at the age where she wanted to go clubbing until six in the morning, experiment with drugs and live a little but Lex had already lived that life and he didn't want to go back. The issue of Lex's past was a stumbling block for Chloe, she was so desperate to see that wild side of him but it was the only thing he kept hidden from her. She smiled to herself, why did she always fall for men with secrets? She turned the bath taps and watched the whirling water fill the tub; she wondered again if Lex would join her but she knew it was wishful thinking, sleep was his only agenda tonight.

Lana had been worried that she would have nowhere to live once Chloe had moved in with Lex, but a show of affection from the most unlikely place had provided her with a small flat in the centre of Smallville. Her biological father, Henry Small, had clearly been keeping an eye on her even if she never got to see him anymore. She had every intention of refusing it but once Chloe announced her intentions to live at the mansion, Lana had no choice but to accept the overly expensive gift. She walked hand in hand with Clark up the street to her building, stopping outside the front door to fall into each other's arms. Lana had never expected her relationship with Clark to last this long; he was still secretive and often dashed off on strange missions that he refused to talk about when he inevitably returned to her but she had managed to work around it. She was willing to deal with the secretive side of him; she loved him far too much to give it all up over something so small.

"Are you coming up? I've got a present for you," she smiled; Clark frowned and kissed her cheek softly, breathing her in as he did.

"I can't. Dad's dragging me to some farmer's convention in Granville for a couple of days, remember? We're going first thing in the morning," said Clark, holding Lana to his chest.

"Will you be back for Friday? We're supposed to be going to Metropolis with Chloe and Lex," she whispered into his t-shirt. He pushed her away so he could look at her, stroking a hand down her face and leaning in to kiss her gently.

"I'll be back on Friday morning, you can give me my present then," he smiled, Lana laughed quietly and stood on her tip-toes to kiss Clark again before walking through the entrance to the building, leaving Clark to walk back down to the Talon and drive his truck back to the farm.


	2. Chapter 2

Lex glanced at his watch and sighed, there was no way he was going to be late tonight, it was too important to Chloe. Her inability to even argue the matter had made him feel guiltier than if she had thrown plates at him, Chloe's passion was a huge part of what made her so attractive to him and to see her losing that in the face of his ignorance was starting to affect him. He would call an end to the meeting prematurely if he needed to; he was going to meet his girlfriend and his friends at the restaurant no matter what was happening in the Luthorcorp boardroom. He tuned out the droning director of one of the many sectors he had forgotten about and thought about Chloe, his Chloe. She made him feel as far removed from a Luthor as possible, he wanted to make her happy and needed and safe. He felt guilty for letting the business come before her recently and smiled at the thought that Lionel would gladly have his head for such an admission._ "Love is fleeting, business is forever," _Just one of his many self-made quotes. He wondered why Chloe was so desperate to get out into Metropolis; she hadn't even wanted to be taken out for dinner, she just wanted to go dancing. It was as if something had taken over her, this desire to taste the life Lex had long abandoned for the world of business and his father's respect, not that he would ever get that. He sighed again, enough was enough, he couldn't concentrate on business and he was desperate to get out of the building.

"I'm sorry gentlemen; something pressing has just come to my attention. We can reconvene on Monday morning," announced Lex, standing up and buttoning his jacket. The board members looked at each other quizzically but Lex was gone before they could even ask what was going on. He grabbed his long coat from the antiquated hat-stand in the foyer and pulled it on, sweeping out of the Luthorcorp building and walking down the street towards _La Parucchiano._

"Lex, I was worried you'd be late again," smiled Chloe as he walked over to the table, she stood up and threw her arms around him. He stroked a hand through her hair and kissed her deeply before twisting from her embrace to greet Clark and Lana and sitting down at the table.

"I left early," he said simply, clicking his fingers in the air and smiling as a harried looking waiter rushed over to the table, obviously excited at who his patron was. "Bottle of your best champagne,"

"Champagne? What was the occasion?" asked Lana with a grin, Lex smiled across at her.

"Well, I thought we should celebrate the fact that the four of us haven't been out in Metropolis in almost a year," he said, reaching out and taking Chloe's hand. "I thought we could treat this as an anniversary,"

"Almost a year?" echoed Clark. "It really doesn't feel that long,"

Lana laughed at his sentimentality and the waiter returned with a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice; they ordered their meals and laughed and talked their way through every course. Champagne was the drink of the evening and by the end of dinner, they had finished three bottles. Chloe felt light-headed, she could never quite take the effects of champagne as opposed to all other alcohol. It was a mystery to her, she had drank so much of it since being with Lex that she imagined she had built an immunity of some kind. The bill arrived and Clark reached for his wallet but Lex waved away his offer of money.

"Tonight is on me; dinner, drinks, the club, everything," he said and picked up the bill, walking with it towards the star-struck waiter.

"I think he's feeling bad," said Chloe, watching him. "Hence the injection of guilt money,"

"I'm sure it's not guilt money, Chloe. Lex has always been generous when it comes to things like this," said Clark, draining his espresso.

"Well, just sit back and enjoy the Luthor ride. I have a feeling we'll be getting into Ink tonight," smiled Chloe, her grin widening as she saw the look on Lana's face.

"Ink? Do you really think so?" she asked excitedly, Chloe nodded with a laugh. "That's so cool; maybe we'll meet some celebrities or something,"

"Darling, when you're on Lex Luthor's arm, you are a celebrity,"

"I just hope we don't end up in the Inquisitor again," said Clark. "That tabloid is always after pictures of Lex and one with you two on his arm could easily be misconstrued,"

"Don't worry, Clark. I'll be on _your_ arm, not Lex's," smiled Lana, leaning over and kissing him briefly, amused by Clark's concern of their tabloid status. Chloe wasn't watching; her attention had turned back to Lex who was returning to the table looking triumphant.

"The waiter has a taxi waiting for us outside so… are we ready?" he asked, pulling out Chloe's chair for her and helping her into her leather jacket. He often marvelled at Chloe's ability to put an outfit together that was both sophisticated enough for an expensive restaurant and trendy enough for a high-profile club. He trailed a hand down her body, resting it easily on her hip while Clark and Lana stood from their chairs and pulled their coats on. "Excellent, let's go,"

As was expected, the second they stepped out of the taxi outside Ink, a barrage of photographers began snapping away shouting Lex's name and blinding Lana with their ultra-bright flashes. They stepped forward confidently and without even a backwards glance, walked straight past the bouncer and into the club. Chloe brushed a hand through her hair and looked back over her shoulder to see the disappointment on the faces of the photographers at Lex's refusal to even acknowledge their presence; gone were the days that he would attack them for taking his picture. He was no longer the angry young man but a businessman with a reputation to protect; that thought made her realise that she never really wanted teenage Lex, she just wanted Lex. Any way she could get him.

Ink had two huge rooms; one was packed with half-naked, sweating bodies swaying along with the bass line while the other was private and contained a cross section of the rich and powerful lounging on comfortable sofas, drinking absinthe and champagne and listening to more chilled out dance music. Lex had insisted on heading straight up to the private room, if only for a while but Chloe had not been impressed with his attempts to keep her away from the 'real' part of the club. She couldn't make him understand that she needed to be down there with the people, laughing and dancing and losing herself completely. She probably couldn't make herself understands but she knew that it was something she needed to do.

"It's great up here," said Lana as Lex handed her a martini. "Thanks for organising this, Lex. It was really nice of you," He flashed her his winning smile and turned to Chloe, handing her the same drink. Chloe glanced at the sofa, Lana was cuddling into Clark and kissing his neck, the alcohol had clearly loosened her inhibitions, she turned back to Lex.

"I thought we'd be dancing, we were relaxing at the restaurant. I want to dance now," she said simply, Lex took her hands in his and sighed.

"Then go dance," he said. "I'm gonna stay up here. I've told you I'm over all this now so if you want to dance, just do it. I'll still be here when you're done," He sat down on the sofa opposite Lana and Clark and sipped at his glass of scotch. Chloe stood, looking down at the three of them, her heart was racing and she felt stupid, Lex always managed to make her feel like a spoilt child. Swallowing her pride, she sat down next to him and started to make conversation, Lex smiled as he turned to face her. This was exactly what he had wanted.

"So, did you bring my present?" whispered Clark in Lana's ear, oblivious to Chloe and Lex's conversation across the low coffee table, the sofas of the private room enveloping them to the extent that it became impossible to imagine anyone else was there.

"I did actually," grinned Lana, reaching into her handbag and pulling out a small black box. She pushed Clark back and opened it herself, lifting her hand to show a thin gold chain hanging from her fingers and dangling from the chain was a gold ring. "It's my class ring, I know it's really cheesy but we first got together when they were giving these out and I know you lost yours so," She trailed off as she saw the expression on Clark's face, she couldn't quite place it, couldn't tell if he was angry or scared or just drunk.

"Wow, Lana," he said, swallowing hard as he glanced at the tiny red rock in the ring. "That's so sweet of you, thank you," Lana smiled and undid the clasp, moving forward to put it around his neck. "You want me to wear it now?" Clark moved back and pushed Lana away from him, his eyes still trained on that innocuous dangling ring. He was fully aware of what would happen if Lana put that ring around his neck but there was no way of getting out of the situation without hurting Lana's feelings. Maybe he could resist just long enough to take it off as soon as she had put it on, just excuse himself and take it off in the bathroom or something. He could do that, he just had to focus.

"Yes, I want you to wear it now," she laughed, shaking her head at his outburst. He hesitated slightly before leaning forward and allowing her to fasten the chain around his neck; she smiled and pressed the ring to his chest, the fake gem pressing against the skin showing through the top of his shirt. "Now I'll always be close to you,"

Clark wasn't listening, the red Kryptonite pressed up against his skin had set off a reaction in his brain and despite the overwhelming urge to rip it from his neck, he knew that he wouldn't be able to. He smiled to himself, what did it really matter though?


	3. Chapter 3

It was almost four in the morning and Clark and Chloe had been dancing for hours. Lana and Lex had opted to remain in the private room, Lana enjoyed the atmosphere of being in a club but the loud music and cramped space was not really her scene and Lex was just tired of the club altogether. He thought that getting Chloe out of Smallville for a night would be enough to quench her thirst for this life but he had been wrong, she loved it. He was glad Lana was there, they talked about the Talon and business in a way that Chloe never would and then they discussed their respective relationships. Lex was surprised to find himself touched by Clark and Lana's relationship with each other, their care for each other's needs, he had often wondered if he was attentive to Chloe in that way but after listening to Lana, he was more convinced than ever that he wasn't.

A soft vibration from his pocket ran up Lex's leg and he apologised to Lana as he pulled his pager out, Lionel's private line. He grabbed his cell phone from his coat pocket and dialled the number; concerned that something had happened to his father who never called from home. He mouthed another apology to Lana and she smiled and waved a hand as if blessing him for his sins. The telephone seemed to be ringing forever before his father answered, his deep voice showing no sign of tiredness or sleep and Lex wondered if Lionel had been to bed yet either.

"What can I do for you at four in the morning, Dad?" asked Lex, listening intently as his father spoke about the business and an important meeting that had been set up for seven am. Lex sighed loudly. "Yes, I'll be there. I'm in Metropolis already… What do you mean it's in Smallville? Why are you holding a meeting in Smallville?" Silence, Lana shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Fine, fine," Lex snapped the cell phone shut and slammed it down on the coffee table; it had taken all of his energy to not throw it across the room.

"Are you okay?" asked Lana, she knew it was a stupid question but didn't know what else she could say.

"Fine," sighed Lex. "I do have to leave though. My father has organised a meeting in Smallville at seven am, I need to get back as soon as possible. I don't think I can handle him without any sleep," Lana laughed and stood with him. "I'm assuming you want to come back with me, are you ready to call it a night?"

"I'm not really the clubbing type and I have a shift at the Talon at ten so it would be nice to get back," she murmured, Lex smiled and nodded. Lana smiled back at him and picked up her handbag and jacket. "Who's going to get Clark and Chloe?"

"I'll send someone, hold on," said Lex and walked across to the bar, Lana watched as he gave detailed instructions, talking wildly with his hands as he described what Chloe was wearing and how tall Clark was. She laughed to herself, wondering if he had any idea what he looked like. She stopped as he started to walk back towards her. "He's going to get them now, there's no reason for us to step into the pit, is there?"

Soon enough, the man Lex had sent to retrieve their respective partners had returned but he was empty-handed. Lana looked up at Lex with a frown but he didn't seem as surprised as she was, the man walked over to them and bowed slightly to Lana as if she was royalty.

"I'm sorry, Mr Luthor. Miss Sullivan advised me that she and Mr Kent would be staying in Metropolis for the evening. She said that she wasn't ready to leave for Smallville yet but she would see you tomorrow," he said to Lex before turning to Lana, she swallowed hard. "Mr Kent told me that he was grateful for the gift and he would see you at the Talon in the morning," Lex handed the man a twenty-dollar note and turned to Lana who was still in shock at what had just happened.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just… I thought Clark would want to come home with me," she said. "Obviously I was wrong. Where are they going to stay?"

"Chloe has a key to my apartment, they'll probably crash out there just as we're getting up," he laughed and Lana laughed too. She didn't know what she was so worried about; maybe it was just disconcerting to leave Clark in Metropolis without even saying goodbye. Or maybe she thought he would want to go home with her considering the fact that he had been in Granville all week. "Come on, let's get out of here," Lex placed his hand at the small of Lana's back and pushed her gently towards the exit. She looked back over her shoulder as if Clark would come running towards them having changed his mind but it was never going to happen. She let Lex usher her down to the car and Lex let her rest her head on his shoulder when she fell asleep on the journey back to Smallville.

"You seem different, are you drunk?" shouted Chloe over the music; her and Clark were resting against the bar after dancing non-stop for what felt like an eternity. He looked at her, right into her eyes making her uncomfortable. "I thought you'd have gone back to Smallville with Lana,"

"Nah, I was having fun. Why go back to the farm?" he shouted back. "I like this place, I came here when I left Smallville," Chloe frowned, as a rule Clark had never mentioned that particular period of time but here he was, just dropping it into casual conversation. Chloe felt like she should respond but there was nothing to say, she was speechless at how easily he had brought up the forbidden subject. She didn't think he had ever talked to Lana about it either; it was one of those things that they just ignored in order to maintain the status quo. He must have noticed her stunned silence because he was giving her that look again, that look that completely undermined anything that she was trying to think at that moment, filling her with nothing but abject lust. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, not enough to draw blood but enough to make her point; she was with Lex and Clark was with Lana. There would be no more eye contact, no more flirting, nothing.

"You called yourself Kal back then," she said matter-of-factly, shaking her head at how ridiculous she must have sounded. He laughed, running a hand down her bare arm; she shivered at his touch despite the overwhelming heat of the club. Her alcohol soaked brain was not working with her on the pact she had made literally seconds before. "You were so mad at me for finding you,"

"I wasn't that mad," he sighed, looking out across the thinning crowds. Ink was getting ready to close and no amount of Lex Luthor's money was going to keep it open for them, he looked across at Chloe. Despite their frenetic dance session, she was barely sweating but glowing, unlike the other women on the dance floor. He touched her face, curious to see if it was damp but it wasn't, it was smooth and cold. She glared up at him, unsure of how she was feeling; _I love Lex, I love Lex, I love Lex._ It became her mantra, if she said it often enough then she would have to listen and all thoughts of Clark Kent would disappear from her mind. "Shall we get out of here?"

"Yeah, I think that would be best," she nodded and Clark grabbed her hand, pulling her roughly out of the club and onto the cold streets of Metropolis. He could barely feel the light mist of rain that had drifted in, Chloe could see it but she couldn't feel it, she couldn't feel anything but Clark's giant hand enveloping her own as he dragged her up the street. "Wait Clark, Lex's apartment is this way,"

"You're going back to Luthor?" he said, the venom in his voice almost spitting out at her. She frowned and shook her head.

"No, he gave me the key to his Metropolis apartment, we don't need to go to a hotel or anything," she explained, Clark's face softened slightly and he started to laugh again. A cold laugh that wasn't really Clark and Chloe wondered just how much he'd had to drink. He stepped forward quickly, the space between them disappearing as he pressed her against his chest and leaned down, crushing her mouth with his own. She stepped back, that frown still etched onto her forehead. "What are you doing? What about Lana?"

"Lana's not here, Chloe. It's just you and me, the way you always wanted it to be, right?" he said. Chloe stood back for a second and looked up at him, once upon a time it had been what she had wanted but she'd grown up now. She was living with her boyfriend who she loved and Clark Kent was just a memory of a childhood crush. There was nothing between them anymore. She swallowed hard; it was hard to believe that when she could reach out and touch him without him backing away, lean in and kiss him without him abandoning her. This was never going to work, he would wake up sober tomorrow and run back to Lana the way he always did, only this time it would be filled with shame and regret, Chloe was nothing but a friend. She needed to remember that.

"Let's just get to the apartment," she sighed, turning around and walking back in the direction they had just come from.

Chloe pushed the key into the long unused lock and turned it, the door to Lex's apartment swung open and she took a deep breath before entering. She felt as though she were standing on the edge of a precipice, knowing she could take just one step back to save herself but unable to move. She was teetering on the edge. Clark pushed past her and walked around the large studio style room, it was barely furnished and it was obvious that Lex hadn't stayed in a long time. Chloe noted that it had the same air as the mansion despite the absence of Luthors. Clark sat down on the sofa and patted the cushion next to him, gesturing for Chloe to sit with him. She put the keys down on the sideboard and against all her better judgment, joined him on the sofa.

"Do you still think about me?" he asked, his hand resting on her knee. "Even though you're with him?"

"Sometimes," she said, hating herself for admitting it out loud. The alcohol was leaving her system with every passing second and her nerves were returning at full force. Did she really think that this evening was going to end well?

"I've thought about you too, don't you think we should do something about that?" he smiled.

"Why did you call yourself Kal when you came here?" she asked suddenly, as if possessed to ask the question that had been bothering her since she had found him that day so long ago. As if the answer to that question might make their liaison more tolerable to her.

"It's just a name, I liked it," he shrugged. She studied his face intently; this guy might as well be Kal: Clark's Mr Hyde. Every word that spilled from his mouth, every smooth movement echoed a memory in her of a lifetime ago, a memory of cruelty and malice but something distinctly sexual. She had wanted Kal, maybe more than she had wanted Clark but it had never happened. But now, here they were and no matter how much she fought it, it was going to happen.

He leaned over and brushed his lips across her throat, planting kisses up her neck. Chloe let her head fall back; she was undone by one simple act of intimacy, intimacy she had been denied by Lex for weeks. She berated herself for thinking about him; you're not supposed to think about your boyfriend when you're about to embark on a night of passion with someone else. Or were you? All questions disappeared as Clark pulled her on to his lap, forcing her to straddle him; he pulled at her vest top and she giggled at his frustration until he gripped the hem and tore it in two, throwing it to the floor and leaving Chloe in just her bra. He pulled her towards him, passion and lust driving the heady, bruising kiss they shared. Chloe's hands moved over Clark's chest until she broke off their kiss and pulled the shirt over his head, revealing his taut, toned abs and perfectly formed chest. Clark's body was so different from Lex's; it was so broad in comparison and Chloe felt like there was so much skin to touch. They slid down the sofa, Chloe now laying on top of Clark with that all too familiar stirring in her groin as she felt Clark's hardness against her hip. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, devouring him hungrily, all thoughts of Lex and Lana left behind.

Hadn't she once admitted that Clark made her lose all logic? That was how she felt now, illogical but oh so good. Clark deftly unclipped her bra and threw it to the floor, relishing the feel of Chloe's breasts pressed against his skin, so different to when Lana did that. Chloe's hands were on the buckle of his belt already, the desperation in her growing as she thought of Clark taking her for his own, of having him inside her finally. She deserved this, she needed this, she wanted this. Lifting her long denim skirt, she lowered herself onto Clark and threw her head back as he filled her entirely. Clark watched her with a glint in his eye as she rocked her hips; tiny moans escaping her slightly parted lips as she rode him. He wanted to watch her, soak up every detail as she moved and moaned. He grabbed her hips and pushed her down hard, she gasped softly at the pain but it just spurred him on. Clark smiled and kissed her before flipping her onto her back and moving on top of her. Entering her quickly and moving with her faster and faster and faster until they were both moaning sharply. Chloe came first with a shudder of her entire body and a sigh of contentment. Clark was not far behind her, collapsing on top of her, sucking her earlobes and trailing kisses up her neck and into her hair. She closed her eyes and sighed peacefully.


	4. Chapter 4

Lana walked impatiently around Lex's office, her fingers trailing the spines of each book on the shelves. Her mind was racing at incalculable speed with every 'what if' that popped into her head. It was almost dark and there had been no word from either Clark or Chloe. Lex had been stuck in meetings all day and was unaware of their absence; Lana had been anxiously waiting for him to come home since her shift at the Talon finished. Her heart jumped a little at the sound of tyres on gravel and she ran to the window, looking down to see Lex climb out of the car and enter the mansion. She was still pacing when he entered the room, she rushed over to him, practically throwing herself into his unready arms.

"Whoa, Lana. What's going on?" he asked, hugging her briefly then pushing her away from him. She looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed with tears not yet shed.

"Clark and Chloe aren't back yet. Where the hell can they be?" she said, a waver in her voice born of fear and anger. Lex frowned and walked to his desk, picking up the telephone and silently dialling a number. He waited patiently before replacing the receiver.

"There's no answer at the apartment, have you tried their cell phones?" he asked, his voice remaining calm and steady despite his growing concern.

"I've tried them both but they were switched off. What is something's happened to them?" She finally sat down on one of the deep leather chairs on the Chinese rug, he walked across and sat opposite her, leaning forward slightly.

"Maybe they're asleep. They were both pretty wasted last night and I know that Chloe hates mornings, she'd gladly sleep all day if she's got a hangover,"

"Then you don't think they're hurt or anything?"

"Everything Chloe carries has this address on it and my phone number. There would have been a call, I'm sure it's nothing serious," said Lex, briefly stroking Lana's knee as a mark of comfort.

"Lex, I know it sounds stupid but Clark and Chloe have a history, you don't think they'd run off together or anything like that?" asked Lana, her voice quiet as if speaking her fears aloud would manifest them.

"Clark loves you more than you will ever know, Lana. He wouldn't ever jeopardise that," smiled Lex. "We could go to Metropolis now if you like, check the apartment and have a look around for them," He raised a quizzical eyebrow and Lana nodded, sighing softly, relieved that she would be up doing something instead of sitting around worrying about where they were or what they were doing. She was grateful that Lex was calm about it all; it made her feel calm too. He was right, she trusted Clark; he would never do anything to break her trust. And she knew how much Chloe loved Lex; it had been the topic of many conversations. Lex made a quick telephone call and ushered Lana back out of the mansion and into his Jaguar before speeding off in the direction of Metropolis.

Chloe woke up to find her naked limbs entangled with Clark's and sighed deeply; everything she had known she would feel was rushing in. Guilt. Regret. Shame. Clark twitched beneath her leg and she drew it back, moving to stand up from the bed they had managed to find their way into. Clark reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly, she frowned with the pain but it soon disappeared as Clark pulled her back down to the bed and kissed her deeply. They should have been back in Smallville hours and hours ago but all that seemed to melt away when faced with Clark's perfectly curved lips and wandering hands. Chloe lay still for a moment, letting Clark smother her in kisses before she pushed him off and brought the bed sheets up to hide her naked body.

"What's wrong?" he asked, no hint of concern to his voice but a lilt of annoyance.

"This is wrong, Clark. We've got people to think about," she snapped, moving to the side of the bed. Clark's lack of conscience was unnerving, any mention of Lana or Lex being met with a raised eyebrow. Chloe felt terrible, thoughts of Lex were choking her and she didn't know if she had ever felt this guilty. She sat on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands, she knew Clark would be wondering what she was doing but she didn't want to look at him, it was hard enough trying to ignore his fingers stroking the small of her back. What was she doing here? She should've got up and left as soon as it got light but her sense of logic had been left in Ink the second Clark had grabbed her hand. She sighed loudly; she would plead temporary insanity if Lex ever found out about this. She finally turned back to face him, his eyes still appraising her as he looked her up and down. "Clark, last night was a huge mistake, have you even thought about Lana or Lex?"

"Why would I? It's not like they're here," he sighed, stretching his arms up.

"They'll be worried about us, I'm gonna call Lex," She jumped off the bed and over to the phone, dialling Lex's cell phone number from memory. It barely rang once before he picked up, it sounded as if he was in a car then it dawned on her that he probably was. He would be on his way to Metropolis to look for her. "Hey Lex, I am so sorry… Yeah, we're still at the apartment, I've only just woke up… He's fine, is Lana with you? … When will you be here? … Okay, see you soon,"

"I gather they're on their way here?" yawned Clark.

"You really don't give a shit, do you? You can be such a complete bastard sometimes, Clark; I think Metropolis is a bad influence on you or something,"

"Please Chloe," mocked Clark. "If you want to go back to Hick Town then be my guest but don't put this all on me; you're the one who wanted to go clubbing and taste life. Well, this is what happens when you get out of the tower, princess,"

"Fuck you," she hissed, pulling on her underwear and clothes in a flurry of movement, ignoring the sting of tears in her eyes as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her. Crying behind closed doors, how often had she done this? She felt terrible and thinking about Lex was making her feel ten times worse, she was just a horrible person. She could hear Clark moving around in the next room and wondered what was going on; he wasn't drunk anymore but he was still acting the same way. Metropolis really did bring the worst out in him; it was as if Kal belonged to Metropolis and Clark belonged to Smallville. And that man in the next room was as far removed from Clark as could be. She wondered if he really did have some kind of personality disorder.

"Chloe, come out of there," he called through the door, knocking on it softly. "I'm sorry," She swallowed hard and unlocked the bathroom door, looking out at Clark as he leaned against the doorframe wearing just his boxer shorts. She pushed back all thoughts of lust and tried to remain as normal as possible.

"Will you just get dressed and promise me that you won't say anything to Lex?" she asked as she picked up the bed sheets from the floor and started to make the bed. "I think we should just put this behind us and forget it ever happened," Clark walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, caressing the sensitive skin of her stomach and breathing softly into her neck. She dropped the sheet and sighed, turning around into his arms and letting herself fall against him.

"I don't want to forget about it," whispered Clark into her hair. "I think we should go out and get some breakfast and just deal with whatever happens, right?" Chloe nodded without even looking at him, Clark had paid her more attention in the last twelve hours than Lex had in the last month, why shouldn't she be tempted by his offer?


	5. Chapter 5

Metropolis was so much different at night; during the day it was like something from a Dickens novel; grey and dreary but at night it became more like New York or Paris, bright lights and bright people. Lana preferred nighttime Metropolis but right now, she would settle for her modest apartment behind Fordman's department store. She just wanted to be at home with Clark rather than out searching for him. Lex had parked his car outside of his apartment but he held no hope of finding them there, the lights were out and the building looked deserted. Regardless of how he felt, he would check the entire apartment for Lana's sake, he could understand how worried she was, she hadn't wanted to leave Clark behind last night for this exact reason.

Lex slid his key into the door and pushed it open, inside was just as he had left it although Chloe's coat was still draped over a chair in the kitchen. Frowning, he switched the lights on and called her name but there was no reply. He and Lana walked through each room but there was no sign that they had even stayed aside from Chloe's coat. Lex rolled it up and ushered Lana out of the apartment, they would check the surrounding clubs and bars but then they were heading back. Clark and Chloe would have to come home at some point and Lex had no intention of wandering around Metropolis until he had found them.

Clark downed both his and Chloe's shot; they had supposed to be getting a very late breakfast but according to Clark, more alcohol would help with her hangover. She glanced around the half empty bar, wishing she could just walk away and feeling annoyed at herself for not knowing why she was staying. Clark was chatting with the barman who he remembered from his Kal days and was filling him in on the last couple of years, Chloe had yet to hear him mention the fact that he had been with Lana for a year. Macho bullshit. She sighed loudly and downed one of the tequila shots on the bar, she wanted to say goodbye to her mind and this was probably the quickest way.

"Chloe, you know the bouncer at _Club Blanca_, don't you?" asked Clark, still leaning over the bar talking to the barman. Chloe nodded silently and continued to eye up everyone in the room, wondering what kind of person would drink in a dive like this. "Do you reckon we could get in tonight?"

"I thought we were gonna talk things through and then head home,"

"Come on, you're saying you'd rather go back to Smallville than spend another night on the town?" he grinned; Chloe shook her head in desperation and jumped up from her chair. "Where are you going?"

"To catch the bus back to Smallville," she sighed. "I don't know why I thought I could stay here with you, I must have been out of my mind,"

"Chloe, don't go home. Just stay, have a drink, chill out a bit. I know you're worried about Lex and Lana but we can catch up with them later," sighed Clark, a bored look tattooed on his face. Chloe shook her head and walked to the door, Clark glanced at the barman briefly before getting up and following her out onto the street. It was beginning to rain again and Chloe wished she hadn't left her jacket at the apartment; she hugged her arms around her body in a vain attempt to warm herself up before looking up the street. "Chloe, listen to me, Lex is never gonna be the guy you want him to be," She looked up at him quizzically; her annoyance rising as she caught sight of that look in his eyes. That arrogance. How could he presume to know what she wanted from her relationship? "That exciting guy that you think Lex is? It's just a façade; he's becoming his father and you're getting sucked in. You know you want him to be that wild teen you read about in the Inquisitor,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she sighed, hoping that she sounded believable.

"That part of Lex that you're so desperate to see is dead. Besides, I think you only wanted him to be like that because it reminded you of Kal," Chloe was silent. She was stunned into silence; Clark was babbling on about Kal and Lex and the past but she couldn't hear a word, she could only watch his lips move and his cold eyes focusing on her. Finally, she closed her eyes and swallowed.

"I'm going home, Clark. You…" she trailed off, there was no point arguing with him. His eyes had already glazed over as he recognised the tone of her voice and all she could do was sigh and wish she had gone home with Lex last night. "I'll tell Lana you're staying here for a while,"

"Whatever," he said. "She'd have stuck around last night if she actually cared," Chloe was about to respond when she saw Lex and Lana walking up the street towards them. She swallowed hard, feeling an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over her as the relief in Lana's face became apparent. They must have been so worried about them and what was she doing? Cheating on Lex with her best friend's boyfriend. Clark must have noticed the distracted look on her face because he turned to see what she was looking at, a broad smile creeping over his face as he caught sight of Lana.

"Look Clark, please don't say anything. There's no point in upsetting everyone, it would just make everything so complicated, don't you think?" said Chloe, ignoring the begging whine to her voice. Clark just nodded and rushed up to greet Lana, sweeping her into his arms and swinging her round and round. Chloe tried to return Lex's smile as he approached her but it was so difficult, how could anything be normal between them now. Would the guilt eat away at her until the inevitable dramatic conclusion of her confession? Sighing deeply, she let him wrap her up in his strong arms, leaning in to his warmth and feeling, momentarily, back where she belonged.

"I thought you were waiting at the apartment," said Lex, speaking into her hair as his hands brushed through it and Chloe attempted to get closer to him. She moved away slightly at the mention of that place, the scene of the crime. She glanced at Clark and immediately regretted it, wondering if Lex would be able to see through her deceit, to see what had happened between her and his best friend.

"We were going to but Clark wanted breakfast and he just kinda dragged me out and we ended up at this bar and…" she babbled, talking emphatically with her hands and telling herself to just calm down. "I don't know, I'm sorry," He laughed and kissed her cheek briefly before turning to Lana and Clark; Clark's hands were all over her and Lana was obviously trying to stop him from being so public with his displays of affection. Chloe avoided looking at him, trying to hide herself behind Lex's long coat.

"Looks like the two of you were up for another night of Metropolis madness," he said, smiling at Clark who shot him a look of utter contempt and abandoned Lana to walk up to him. Chloe frowned, anticipating the fight that was coming and looked away from Clark. No, from Kal, because Clark could never look at anyone like that. Because Clark could never cheat on Lana like that. Because Clark could never do anything like the things he had done over the past twenty-four hours. She hid her face in Lex's coat as much as she could as Clark leaned in as close as he could.

"You will never be the man she needs you to be, you know. She wants this version of you she's created in her head and he doesn't exist. Just thought you might want the friendly heads up," Chloe felt dead inside, she didn't know why she had even bothered to ask Clark to keep his mouth shut about things. The way he had been acting, it wasn't likely that he would be able to.

"Just ignore him, he's wasted," whispered Chloe, avoiding Clark's glares just as he was avoiding Lana's.

"Fuck you, princess. Just go back to the tower and forget all about the real world. You prefer it up there anyway," he spat, his finger pointed at her face. Chloe shut her eyes against his insults but Lex was incensed and Lana had already sensed the change in Clark and it was a change she remembered. A change she had hoped she would never see again. "Lana, I want a drink, you coming?"

"Hold on a second," said Lex, stepping forward, cutting Lana off. "I don't know what went on between you two but I think that was a little harsh, Clark. I know you and Chloe can have your differences but still…"

"As usual, you miss the point completely, Luthor. We don't have any differences; we're exactly the same. Probably why she came so much last night; when was the last time _you_ heard her scream?" Lex reacted so quickly that Chloe's mouth actually fell open but as his fist connected with Clark's jaw, there was no reaction. Clark actually smiled at him before he hit him back, knocking Lex to the pavement with a bloody nose. Chloe fell to her knees and rested Lex's lolling head on her knees, looking up at the heartbreak in Lana's eyes and feeling like the slut she knew she would be reviled as.

"I'm so sorry, Lana," she managed to cough out before Clark grabbed Lana's hand and dragged her into the bar.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry it's been so long but life got in the way for a little while. I'm a bit unhappy with this part, hence the length. I hope I can pull it back a bit in the final act. Thanks for sticking with it.

Lana sat silently, ignoring the tall glass of vodka and lemonade Clark had slammed down in front of her. He looked different to her; his eyes were hard and cold and his smile seemed cruel and full of malice. He kept looking to the door and was talking quietly about Lex but she had zoned out completely; her mind was still racing with Clark's admission. He and Chloe… She could barely bring herself to think the words. She so desperately wanted it all to be a bad dream. She wanted to open her eyes and find herself in her bed in Smallville. But there was no way it would happen. This was real. It was all real.

"Why aren't you drinking?" asked Clark suddenly and Lana snapped back into the reality she was desperate to escape. She glared at him as he pushed the glass closer to her, urging her to drink it.

"Did you really sleep with Chloe?" she said, though it didn't sound like her voice. She watched Clark's smile fade and he looked to the door one more time before turning back and answering.

"Lana, I was drunk and it was a stupid mistake. You know you're my best girl; you're the only girl I've ever wanted to be with. You know that," he said sweetly, moving around the table to cradle her in his arms. She pushed him back and moved away.

"I can't believe you. You can't even apologise to me," she sighed, shaking her head in disbelief and feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry but it was a pointless endeavour; she could already feel the wetness trailing her cheeks. "I'm going to make sure Lex is okay. You can keep your fucking drink," She stood from the table and wiped down the creased legs of her jeans.

"Whoa! Lana Lang swearing? It's not very you, sweetheart. Try it again when you can actually mean it," laughed Clark. Lana turned to face him, anger blazing in her eyes. "What? Did you remember Chloe's out there with him? Not ready for a bitch fight of your own, are you!"

"Who are you?" she said. "I don't even know you anymore," He shrugged and laughed to himself. "Give me my ring back,"

"No way; it was a gift. You can't just take it back," he laughed, picking up the ring that hung around his neck and twisting it between his fingers before dropping it. "Besides, it has a lot of sentimental value,"

"We're over, Clark. I want it back,"

He reached up and pulled the ring away from his neck; the thin links of the chain snapping with ease. He held it up and looked at it, squinting curiously before offering it out to her. She moved to grab it but he pulled back instantly and laughed loudly. How could she possibly think he was just going to hand it over to her? Was she stupid?

"Fine; forget it. I don't need you and I don't need my ring," she spat. She turned on her heel and headed for the door. Clark placed the ring and chain on the table and downed his drink. He waited for a moment before running out after her but as he moved further away from the bar; the events of the last twenty four hours started hitting him like a freight train. Washing over him as if he'd been hit with temporary amnesia. Him and Chloe… Punching Lex… Telling Lana…. He put a hand to his head, willing his memories to all be a lie but he knew that they weren't and he knew it was his own fault. He should've just refused Lana's gift; she would have been upset but not as upset as she was now. He looked back to the bar and briefly considered how easy it would be to slip that red rock back on and carry on as if nothing had ever happened but he knew there was no way he could do that. Not now he had hurt her again. He needed to fix this. Clark ran out after her.

"Lana, I'm so sorry," he said quickly, his words tumbling over each other. She glared up at him and turned her attention back to Lex. "God, Lex, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," He knelt down and helped Lex to his feet. Lex flinched back from his touch initially but soon allowed him to help him up. Lex had experienced a great deal in his life and wasn't about to hold a well aimed punch against Clark. Seducing his girlfriend was an entirely different matter. Chloe was still standing still, tears free falling down her face as she sobbed; her entire world was crashing down around her and it was all her own fault. Clark looked at her and felt a tightening in his chest; he had no idea what to say. She looked across at him.

"Don't you dare speak to me," she snapped, trying to retain some semblance of dignity despite the pathetic nature of the situation.

"Chloe, we've got a few things to discuss," said Lex quietly, completely ignoring Clark's apology. Chloe sniffed away her tears and looked up at him. "Come on, we should really be alone," He held his hand out to her and smiled sadly. She took it cautiously but felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. Maybe things weren't falling apart after all. Maybe Lex understood why she had done what she had done. Maybe things were going to be different now… Maybe he could find it within himself to forgive her. Lex offered Lana a sympathetic smile before he and Chloe walked down the street towards his car.

"Lana, I know that there's nothing I can say to make things right between us but you need to know that I wasn't myself," said Clark desperately, Lana wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweater before looking up at him.

"Do you remember how you treated me the last time you weren't yourself?" Clark looked down at the ground sheepishly. "You broke my heart back then too and you promised you would never hurt me again. Well, you did, Clark. You really messed up,"

She turned on her heel and started to walk away despite the agonising pain in her heart. Clark could do nothing but watch.


End file.
